What Should Be Your Priority: House, Car, Business, or Stock Investments?

If you were to choose, what should be your priority – buy a house, get a car, start a business, or build your stock investments?

This was the concern of a young woman, who posted this question on a Facebook group a few days ago.

When I saw this on my timeline, I decided to check how other members of the group answered, and I was glad to read that most of the advise were smart and practical.

Some said that building an emergency fund should be the first priority; others suggested getting protection through life and health insurance is a must.

Meanwhile, a few shared that learning about money management should come first. A few said that acquiring financial discipline should be her priority because these will help her get all those other stuff she wants.

Since a lot of the replies were already helpful, I chose to give a different and unconventional point of view on the matter.

I answered that her priority should be achieving self-fulfillment, finding her purpose, and pursuing happiness.

Because a house, a car, a business, and even stock investments are but tools or stepping stones that will help her to attain the things that really matter.

For example, if she finds happiness and fulfillment in traveling, then giving priority towards buying a house won’t really help her achieve that.

Instead, she should learn to save and invest so she can grow a travel fund.

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And with that realization, then perhaps getting a car should be her priority. Simply because it’s a logical purchase that will allow her to travel more.

Alternatively, let’s say that her passion is cooking, then maybe putting up a restaurant business should be her priority.

And if so, I boldly advise that she forget about the house and the car. She can just focus all her efforts towards starting and building that business.

You are your life’s architect

Too often, we let others define who we should be.

We let our family, friends and society dictate how we should live our life.

And in this process of trying to meet the expectations of other people, we slowly lose ourselves and forget about that unique and extraordinary person within.

So ask yourself the hard questions.

What gives you self-fulfillment? What do you believe is your purpose? What makes you truly happy?

When you’ve answered these questions, then your priorities in life will achieve clarity.

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Great post. Our little family is just starting out and we are giving priority to getting a house first (we do have a still-need-a-lot-of-growth emergency fund, life and health insurances and stocks and MF investments already). I guess it was also the perfect timing since there are some changes in our current neighborhood (we live with my parents) and there may be a need to move out of the place soon. I am hoping we made the right decision and I hope we could get our finances straightened out to the way they should very soon.

Oh and I love your book, by the way. I just shared it to my older brother.

I first went into stocks even without any savings because I used to attend a religious gathering where I always felt pressured to get rich. I felt like napagiiwanan na ako because of how they preach it. Anyway, I stopped attending there altogether and just went back to the usual Sunday mass. I also stopped investing in stocks and pulled out all my money because it did not felt right at that time, probably because I knew I was not ready, financially and personally (experience wise). The money was then used to start a business, and it’s the greatest thing that happened to me and my family. I know one day I have to start investing in stocks again, but at least when the time comes I know I am ready for it.

You hit this one on the spot. that’s why I always admire your way of teaching financial independence, and listen to your advise. Maybe some financial advisers have the best intentions, but they just don’t know how they could affect other people if done in a wrong way.

Great Fitz. At first i thought that your advise would sound like other general advises. Like follow ur heart. Follow ur passion. Follow the bertud. but Then you’ve given it a different perspective when you linked it back to the real question. 😉

Sir Fitz,
I totally agree with you and it helps me to decide on what i should i do and my wife because we are also in the process of prioritizing on what to buy first, house, car or investment or altogether. More power and blessings to you!

Hello sir Fitz! Thats also what I want to ask from you. I’ve made a lot of financial mistakes because I let others define me and decide for me. Is it not too late to start all over again ? I want to focus on myself more because I always help my family.

I agree with Honey. These are two different concerns. When I went to Saudi, in two years I saved and buy a house and lot. Now 25 years later I still have it and have kept my self worrying about rents. But thanks Fitz for keeping us informed. Cheers!

What is financial freedom if you have not been living your life happily the way you want it? balance it. I can’t bring my investment to my grave…i want to enjoy it and build memories with my family and save just enough so my children can start on something.